


You're Here, Where You Should Be

by SilverSlashes



Series: You and I [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Holidays, M/M, Pre-Slash, Werewolves, Wolf Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 06:46:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9060415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverSlashes/pseuds/SilverSlashes
Summary: Apparently, Derek can turn into an actual wolf! And Scott knows! And Stiles didn't know! And it's Christmas.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A small, Christmas time-stamp/sequel to my You & I universe. You don't really have to read the others to enjoy this little holiday, sugary fic. But, reading those will help you better set the scene for this one. 
> 
> I actually wrote most of this last year and forgot to post and I JUST found it today and thought I would post it TONIGHT on Christmas, unbeta'd, if I could finish it. I hope you like it despite any mistakes. 
> 
> The song lyrics are from Kelly Clarkson's song Underneath the Tree. 
> 
> Love and light this season and in the New Year!

I found what I was looking for  
A love that's meant for me  
A heart that's mine completely  
Knocked me right off my feet  
And this year I will fall  
With no worries at all  
'Cause you are near  
and everything's clear  
You're all I need  
Underneath the tree

Stiles tapped his foot impatiently on the polished concrete floor of the baggage claim area as he waited for his massive suitcase. Traveling for business was always less exciting when Derek refused to come with him. Which was more and more often thanks to Stiles higher-ish profile. Sheesh, you win a Noble Peace Prize and everyone wants a piece of you. Stiles saw his bag come through the flaps and slowly make it’s way around to him on the conveyer belt.

He understood why Derek chose to distance himself from Stiles’ medically-related international fame. Stiles had helped to advance cancer research by decades. Certainly the closest anyone had come to what promised to be a cure. But he had done it by studying werewolf blood. And Derek was a werewolf. And Stiles’ boyfriend. But also a werewolf. Having too many eyes on him could be dangerous. 

So Stiles traveled for conferences and Derek stayed home with his pack. More than likely prowling around their shared loft apartment and waiting for Stiles to come home. Derek’s wolf did not like it when Stiles was gone for as long as Stiles had been gone this time. Derek had yet to explain to Stiles logically how the wolf comprehended distance and time in relation to Stiles absence. Derek’s normal answer for anything he couldn’t explain was to say, “it’s just a thing. I don’t know.”

Stiles hadn’t particularly enjoyed the 2 weeks away from his Sourwolf. London was rainy and it was Christmas – his favorite time of year – and normally a holiday he spent with friends and family. 

Stiles lugged the suitcase behind him out the door into the balmy San Diego winter weather. He spotted his Dad’s truck waiting a few yards up the curb. His Dad got out of the car and helped him throw the suitcase into the back before enfolding him in a bear hug. Stiles sank into it like a drowning man. He was tired. He had missed his Dad. It had been a few months.

They got into the car and his Dad pulled out into traffic, “how was the trip?”

Stiles sighed, “long. I love what I do and I love talking to people. Dad, seriously, you know how much I can talk. But, I just wanted to cure cancer. Not be trotted around every single major medical convention and gathering like a show pony.”

His Dad smiled softly, “you made a medical break through, son. That comes with responsibilities.”

Stiles tapped a rhythm out on his knee with his fingers, “I know. But I miss my lab. I miss Derek.” 

His Dad made a noise in response like he understood and they fell into temporary, companionable silence. Stiles and Derek had been together now for 2 years. An entire 24 months since Stiles had ripped an arrow out of Derek’s back in a poorly lite alley. 

Their friend groups had merged together extremely well considering that some of them were werewolves, some of them were humans, and one of them was a human werewolf hunter. Stiles was still convinced that Lydia was something. She had a very knowing way about her. She remained uninterested in his attempts to match her abilities with a supernatural creature. Maybe part fey? 

Stiles turned his attention to his Dad. He looked good. Not too stressed or haggard. Stiles often worried about leaving his Dad all alone back in their small town where his Dad was the Sheriff. It wasn’t a particularly high risk job with the level of crime Beacon Hills offered, but his Dad didn’t always take care of himself like Stiles would have preferred. 

Stiles’ one consolation is Momma McCall, Scott’s mom. After becoming best buddies with Scott years ago, Stiles had been introduced to his Mom who worked ER intake at the hospital. Stiles had introduced her to his Dad one day when his Dad had been visiting and wanted to see his lab. They had immediately liked one another. The four of them would catch dinner when Stiles’ Dad was in town and shifts allowed, until Melissa and John were having dinner even when Scott and Stiles couldn’t make it. To both Scott and Stiles chagrin their single parent’s relationship had blossomed into a solid friendship and nothing else. 

Stiles cleared his throat to speak again, “you sure you don’t want to stay with Derek and I? Tomorrow is Christmas and everyone will be over at ours any way.”

His Dad shook his head, “No, you haven’t seen each other in weeks and I want you to have some time before everyone descends on your place tomorrow. Plus, I’m fine staying with Melissa. And she told me to tell you that she’s making her sweet potato casserole for tomorrow’s festivities.”

Stiles groaned, “oh man, it’s the best! With toasted marshmallows and everything!”

His Dad chuckled, “yeah, it is pretty awesome.”

“Is everything ok on the force? Beacon Hills still quiet?”

His Dad nodded, “just a few drunk and disorderly arrests at the ole’ watering hole and we had a few high school kids spray paint the water tower. But, nothing your old man can’t handle.”

By this time they had arrived at Stiles and Derek’s apartment building. They owned the top floor. Derek had liked the space and layout of the loft. Stiles had liked the modern look and the view. It had come with a hot price tag, but between the two of them it hadn’t been a problem. And resale in San Fran wasn’t a problem. 

Stiles hopped out and tugged his bag out of the bed of the truck before promising his Dad that he’d see him tomorrow and watching as he headed off to Melissa’s. Stiles took the elevator even though most of the time he took the stairs to make himself feel better about how little he exercised. 

He let himself in and looked across the loft to the kitchen where Derek had paused in his vegetable chopping to watch Stiles enter their home. He smiled and waved, left his suitcase at the door, and made his way across the living room to face plant into Derek’s shoulder.

He felt Derek’s strong arms come around him and vowed like the last time he had gone away for business, and the time before that, to never ever ever leave again. Derek chuckled and Stiles realized that he had said it out loud. Oops. 

They pulled apart to kiss on the lips, just a gentle press before Derek pulled away to finish with the celery, “maybe on the next long one I’ll fly out for a few days and we can sight-see when you aren’t working.”

Stiles smiled, “I’d like that. We can pick something I get invited to that’s low profile.”

Derek nodded, “sounds good.”

Stiles watched Derek’s hands move the knife, “whatcha making?”.

“I’m making stuffing for tomorrow. There’s also a ham in the fridge and you better not eat it.” 

Stiles held his hands up, “I would never.”

Derek narrowed his eyes at him, “Lies.”

Stiles grinned, “but I like your cooking. I didn’t even know you could cook until we moved in together. It’s very domestic.”

Derek growled and Stiles smirked, “and by domestic I of course mean wildly sexy.”

“Go shower. I’ll heat up some of my left overs from last night for you.”

Stiles saluted his thanks before going to retrieve his bag from the door and roll it down the hall to their bedroom. Derek always appreciated when Stiles showered after travel. He said that Stiles smelled like too many people and not enough Derek when they spent time apart. Stiles couldn’t argue with the super sniffer. Which is what he called Derek’s werewolf nose in his head. Because Derek would murder him if he called it that out loud.

Stiles took his time in the shower. The hot water soothed some of the stress he hadn’t realized he had been carrying. Being away from not just Derek but the pack was draining on him. The pack, even the human members provided daily support that Stiles didn’t know he relied on so heavily until it was gone for 14 days. 

Lydia checking to make sure he ate lunch. Scott popping his head into the lab to coax Stiles on a coffee break. Everyone getting together on Fridays for drinks – Derek, Stiles, Erica, Boyd, Isaac, Scott, Allison, Jackson, Lydia, and even Danny – at the Irish pub by the hospital. 

They would all be over tomorrow to Stiles and Derek’s for Christmas lunch. Plus Deaton, the sorta creepy, sorta helpful druid/veterinarian that sometimes helped the pack out with Supernatural shenanigans. Chris Argent, Allison’s Dad, was going to attend. Of course, as a hunter, and an ally, he was privy to the werewolf secret. Melissa had also been roped in considering how observant she had been in detecting the changes in her son that she saw often… and that little incident she had assisted with in which Allison had been stabbed with a poisoned blade. Long story.

That just left Stiles’ Dad. Who was attending tomorrow, and was the only one who didn’t know he’d be walking into a literal pack of wolves. Derek had left it up to Stiles whether or not to tell his Dad. But, he honestly wasn’t sure how to start the conversation. He was going to talk to Melissa about it soon. Maybe she would know what to do.

Stiles startled slightly as he heard the bathroom door open. He turned to look at Derek through the glass. Derek was looking down through the glass of their tiled shower stall and he looked like he’d lost his train of thought. Stiles felt like that when he looked at Derek sometimes.

Stiles shut the water off and grabbed a towel, “hey, eyes up here.”

Derek finally looked up with an eye roll. Had Lydia taught him that?

“I came to make sure you hadn’t drowned.”

Stiles shrugged as he squeezed past Derek and into the bedroom, “I got lost in thought.”

He tossed the towel in Derek’s direction before slipping on some soft sleep pants that his Dad had given him one Christmas. They had Santa hats and the Batman symbol sprinkled on them like confetti. And he was pretty sure that Derek secretly loved them. Or maybe he loved to take them off of Stiles. Either way. 

Derek hung the towel in the bathroom and followed Stiles back into the kitchen. Derek had laid out left over spaghetti from the Italian place down the street that they both loved. Stiles ate with gusto while Derek finished up whatever he had been doing in the kitchen. Between Derek’s preparation and what everyone had volunteered to bring, they were gonna have a mountain of food. Considering there would be six fully-grown werewolves there that might just be enough for everyone. 

After getting ready for bed, Stiles crawled between the covers and waited for Derek to do his nightly security sweep of the apartment. There was no other term for his prowling trip from window to window to door and back. He checked the locks and circled back to the bedroom once he was satisfied. Stiles wondered if this was a Derek-thing that had been a paranoid wolf habit long before Stiles, or if it was a Derek-who-lived-with-Stiles-thing. 

Their apartment was pleasantly cool to combat the warm and damp California air outside. But it also made Stiles chilly sometimes. He enjoyed rolling into Derek’s werewolf body heat once they were both under the covers. Stiles was tired. Traveling was exhausting. He was thrilled to be with Derek again after their time apart. His body craved physical closeness. But, his brain was already becoming drowsy.

Stiles turned his body into Derek’s until they were side by side, facing one another, hips and chests flush, legs tangled together. Stiles had his face mashed into Derek’s shoulder, his hands running up under Derek’s t-shirt to touch hot skin. He felt Derek’s touches press into his back and hips.

“I really want to have sex.” Stiles thought it needed saying out loud.

He could feel Derek’s sleepy amusement, “me too.”

Stiles sighed as their bodies relaxed in to one another, “tomorrow morning?”

Stiles felt Derek nod, “tomorrow night too.”

“That sounds like a deal.”

He touched his lips to the part of Derek’s neck he could reach as he felt and heard Derek sniff his hair deeply. Sometimes, Stiles thought, it was enough to just be pressed close – sharing heartbeats, sharing dreams. 

 

Derek woke-up before the alarm like he normally did, no matter what time it was set for. He and Stiles had rolled apart in their sleep and he turned over to see Stiles sleeping peacefully on his stomach, his arms hugging the pillow he was softly snoring into. 

Derek let his eyes follow the line of Stiles’ back to where it dipped and rose. His eyes were drawn back to Stiles’ face when he heard a grumble. He was still asleep though. It would figure that Stiles talked even in his sleep. Derek had been amused but unsurprised at that revelation. Just like Stiles’ off-key singing in the shower and his tendency towards controlled chaos in his living space. 

Dating Stiles through his whirlwind research journey to turn Derek and Scott’s blood into a cure for cancer had been difficult for both of them. Especially with Derek’s pack merging into Stiles’ friend group, accepting Scott as a member of the pack, and dealing with hunters as allies. They were constantly fighting to stay present in their relationship. To maintain boundaries between what was just Derek and Stiles and what was everything else. Derek might have given up a few times, but Stiles had always fought to pull him back. He had fought harder actually, by his own admittance, than he had ever fought for a relationship before. 

When Stiles had a break through, when his crazy theories worked, when the medical community got a hold of him, it was Derek’s idea to move in together. They had been together for a year; Stiles’ was gone a lot. And when he wasn’t, Derek was by his side, re-marking his territory, needing to be around Stiles, and hating that he smelled like other people. 

It was his complete lack of hesitation to move in with Stiles that finally led Derek to the thrilling and terrifying realization that his attachment to Stiles was deep and permanent. Wolves didn’t cohabitate with anyone who wasn’t pack, at least not without trepidation. Stiles was pack. Even more, Stiles was mate. 

Derek reached out a hand to trail his fingers down Stiles’ spine. The last time Derek had been happy, had been carefree, had been loved unconditionally, he’d screwed it all up. His family had died. Even after two years with Stiles, Derek was still accepting that he was allowed to feel and show positive emotions.

For a long time he had seen himself as emotionless. That was how he had thought he deserved to live. But he wasn’t emotionless. Fear, shame, anger, regret, guilt, they had been his constant companions. It had made him a terrible Alpha. 

He was better now. He was more giving of praise and of physical affection. Stiles had done that. And his wolves were better, stronger, smarter, more loyal, more controlled. Not because he was a tyrant, but because he was a leader. He suspected, if the stories his mother had told him were real, that Scott had the makings of a True Alpha. Even that didn’t make Derek upset or nervous or jealous. Just excited, expectant, ready. 

“Whatcha thinking about so hard?”

Derek didn’t jump, he was too wolf for that, but he did snap his eyes to Stiles face. His boyfriend had woken up at some point and Derek had been too lost in thought to notice.

“You.”

“Does thinking about me always make your eyebrows come together like that?”

Derek rolled his eyes and looked at the clock, “we don’t have a lot of time.”

Stiles moved from his stomach to his side, sliding closer to Derek, “I missed you so much, we don’t need a lot of time.”

Derek wrapped a hand around the back of Stiles neck to tug him a bit closer for kissing. Having Stiles’ mouth pressed against his, kissing him deeply, was something Derek had been craving since the goodbye kiss at the airport. Stiles hummed like he could hear Derek’s thoughts.

Derek broke the kiss to nose along Stiles jawline and reveled in the groan it pulled from his boyfriend. Stiles never seemed to mind Derek’s obsession with his neck, actually liked it a lot. It had always been Derek’s first stop on his many explorations of Stiles’ body because it was one of the places that his scent was the strongest to Derek.

Stiles smelled more like himself this morning, after a shower and a night back in the bed they share. Derek sniffed along the column of Stiles neck, leaving small nips and presses of his lips along the way. Stiles meanwhile allowed his hands to trail down Derek’s back to tuck into the waistband of his boxer briefs, pressing his fingertips into Derek’s ass.

Derek started to rock his hips into Stiles, who moaned in appreciation and then gave a huff of laughter, “I don’t think we’re gonna make it to the main event.”

Derek rolled them so he was on top and pressed his knees into the mattress. He used his freed hand to slide their underwear down so that they could press against each other skin to skin. And how much better that was. Stiles threw his head back, closing his eyes to focus on the sensation. Derek took the opportunity of his exposed throat to suck a mark into the space where a tendon in Stiles neck met his collarbone.

Stiles reached down to wrap his hand around their cocks as they each fucked up into his grip. Derek lost track of what he had been doing, instead moving his head until he could rest it against Stiles’ shoulder, his back bowed as he chased his pleasure.

Stiles turned his head a little, mumbling something about being close before scrapping his teeth less than gently down the side of Derek’s throat. Derek came with a groan. Thankfully, Stiles came right behind Derek and his hand fell away while they both tried to normalize their breathing. Derek rolled off of Stiles to lie back on his side of the bed. 

He looked beside him to see Stiles watching him with a grin, “that was a nice warm-up.”

He just raised an eyebrow and leaned in to kiss Stiles soundly one more time before getting up and calling first shower on the way to the bathroom.

Stiles squawked, “hey, no fair, we could shower together.”

Derek looked back over his shoulder, “no we cannot. Everyone will be here in a few short hours and there is too much to do for us to be fucking around in the shower.”

Stiles grumbled and flopped around the bed, “who said anything about fucking.”

Derek just gave him a pointed look and Stiles sighed, “Fine, I’ll just go start a pot of coffee.”

“Thank you”

Tonight  
I'm gonna hold you close  
Make sure that you know  
I was lost before you  
Christmas was cold and grey  
Another holiday alone to celebrate  
But then one day everything changed  
You're all I need  
Underneath the tree

Derek smiled as he opened the door to Stiles’ Dad and Scott’s Mom, “Good to see you, Sheriff.”

“Derek, how many times do I have to tell you to call me John?”

Erica piped up from the hallway where Derek could smell her but not see her yet, “He just calls you Sheriff to remind himself that you carry a gun.”

Stiles’ Dad gave what Stiles considered a rather smug smile, “Well, not today.”

Stiles laughed as he walked up to stand next to Derek, “Come on in everyone. Food goes in the kitchen. Presents go under the tree.”

 

After all the food was served and everyone was sitting around the table with empty plates and too full stomachs, Erica clapped her hands together, “can we open presents?!”

Stiles grinned and stood up, “absolutely, in a moment. I have something I want to say.”

Scott groaned, “aw man, are you gonna say something sap… ow!”

Allison had smacked him lightly on the back of the head.

Stiles grinned at her and then held up his wine glass for a toast, “all of us being here together wouldn’t even be possible if not for an arrow…”

Stiles watched as Derek raised an eyebrow. Chris’s mouth turned down at the edges. Stiles’ Dad just looked mildly interested.

Stiles continued, “… that sailed from Cupid’s bow and pierced my heart.”

Erica snickered and Jackson made a gagging noise. Everyone but Stiles’ Dad remained amused the Stiles had sorta almost actually told the real way that he and Derek had met.

They all held up their glasses at Stiles urging, “Everyone knows that I’ve been traveling a lot over the last year or so. And it isn’t until I’m away that I realize how much I miss each of you. How important you are to my life. Yes, even you Jackson…”

Jackson flipped Stiles off, who grinned and continued, “… Family is important to me. And for a long time, my Dad and I were just a family of two.”

Stiles had to stop for a second to share a look with his Dad, “in fact, a lot of us will always have someone to miss during the holidays. Hell, everyday. But, through a series of events, we find ourselves here. A family of sorts, cobbled together, but no less strong, no less important. I care about each and every one of you.”

Stiles raised his glass a little higher, “so here’s to love, and to family. Merry Christmas.”

Everyone murmured Merry Christmas and drank. Stiles sat back down and looked down the table to where Derek was seated; a light burning in his eyes that Stiles knew was reflected in his own.

Erica spoke up, “can we open presents now?”

Boyd just shook his head, but everyone agreed and some people stayed seated at the table while others went to settle on the living room furniture or by the tree. Due to the open loft concept everyone had a seat and a vantage point that way.

Stiles sat next to Scott by the tree and between the two of them managed to dole out the mountain of presents. By the end of it they were all wearing designer scarves from Lydia that she insisted would perfectly blend with their complexion and eye color, and each person had a small pile of opened presents stacked by them. 

Derek had gotten Stiles tickets to a new rare comic showing at an art gallery. Stiles had gotten Derek a top-of-the-line cookware set he knew Derek had wanted, complete with an actual cast-iron skillet. 

Stiles was intrigued however by the gift that Scott had received from Derek. It was a wooden talisman roughly the shape of Scott’s palm. It was clearly handmade, carved and polished to a shine. Each side has a symbol that looked like three swirls ended in a singular point. 

Stiles leaned over to Scott, “that’s beautiful. What is it?”

Scott looked around at the others, but Isaac and Jackson were engaged in a wrapping paper fight and no one seemed to be paying them any attention.

“It’s a triskele,” Scott pointed to each swirl, “these stand for alpha, beta, and omega.”

Scott glanced over at Derek, “it was the symbol of Derek’s family, of his pack, the Hale pack.”

Stiles smiled, “wow. I mean, it’s just like his tattoo, but he never told me that packs could have like official symbols. That’s cool man. Why did he give it to you?”

Scott looked down at the talisman, “he thinks that, for reasons he refuses to explain to me yet, I might have the ability to focus enough to turn into a wolf. He said some werewolves have enough control and enough balance to shift into a full wolf form.”

Stiles just stared at Scott and the triskele, “turn into an actual wolf?”

Scott smiled and nodded, looking over at Derek, “I have my doubts man, but Derek said he’s never seen a turned wolf so in tune with their wolf. He thinks I might be able to do it.”

Stiles grinned, “uh, bro, that’s because you’re amazing. You’re like a werewolf Luke Skywalker and Derek is your Yoda.”

Scott laughed, but then Stiles’ brain sort of caught up with the conversation and he whipped his head back around to where Derek was laughing as Isaac and Jackson, now united, attacked him with ribbon. Stiles turned back to Scott and hissed, “do you mean Derek can turn into a full wolf?”

Scott’s eyebrows came together and he looked a little confused before replying as if he wasn’t sure he should, “yes.”

Stiles narrowed his eyes, “huh.”

When Stiles didn’t say anything else, Scott turned back to his gift and Stiles went to rescue Derek from his more rambunctious betas. 

Stiles couldn’t help thinking about it though as the night wore on. He made it all the way to bedtime, he and Derek both getting ready for bed exhausted.

Stiles tried to make it sound casual, “that was a really nice gesture, that thing you got Scott for Christmas.”

Derek shrugged, “I know that his induction into the world of werewolves wasn’t great and I wouldn’t have thought to turn him, but I think he could be a truly great pack member, maybe even more, someday.”

Stiles pulled down the bed covers and climbed in while Derek fluffed his pillow, he tried to keep his voice neutral still, “You never told me you could turn into a full wolf.”

Derek shrugged, “I mean, it’s just something I can do.”

Stiles dropped his calm act, he literally couldn’t handle it anymore, “no, you know what, no. Cooking is just something you can do. Turning into a legitimate, actual wolf is a little more than that! It’s amazing! Why wouldn’t you TELL me!”.

Derek had been about to get into bed, but now he just stood by his side of the bed confusedly, “are you mad?”

Stiles thought about it. Was he mad? No, he wasn’t. He just felt like Derek had withheld something important about himself from Stiles. Did he think Stiles would be weirded out? Did he not feel like he could trust Stiles with that sort of thing? He tried to take a breath and articulate that.

Derek huffed a little, which he did when he was trying to figure out what to say, “It wasn’t because I didn’t trust you or because I thought you’d be weirded out. I’m just a born wolf. It’s something that I’ve always been able to do. It never occurred to me that I should let you know. I only mentioned it to Scott because it occurred to me that he might be able to also. Most bitten wolves can’t. But Scott’s, well, he’s different.”

Stiles nodded, “ok, well, then, I want to see.”

Derek had been attempting to get in bed for the second time and he just sort of froze and just looked at Stiles, “now?”

Stiles shrugged, “I don’t know. Can you do it on command? Do you have to be in the woods? Does it hurt? Do you have to be naked? I mean, if you can’t or you don’t want to, then no, I don’t want you to do it now. But, I want you to feel like you can. If you want to turn into a giant wolf and lie on our sofa or pad around the apartment, or whatever! I never want you to feel like there is a side of you that you can’t show me.”

Stiles was breathing a little heavy when he finished his tirade and he hadn’t realized until he started talking that he had some definite emotions behind this new revelation that Derek could become an actual wolf.

Derek looked a little stunned, but he moved away from the bed, stripping as he went until he was standing across the room naked. He closed his eyes and crouched down. Stiles watched as Derek slipped into his werewolf form, the one Stiles has seen before. But the shift didn’t stop there, the hair kept covering him and his form sort of stretched and blurred until, sure enough, there was a massive black wolf sitting there looking at Stiles with calm, red-ringed eyes.

Stiles knew his mouth was hanging open, but he couldn’t really remember how to close it. He got up from the bed and slowly walked over to the wolf, like he would approach a dog he didn’t know. He held his hand out for Derek to sniff and the wolf honest to God huffed like Derek knew Stiles was treating him like a dog. Stiles snatched his hand back and laughed. Right. Ok. Not a dog.

He got down on his knees in front of Derek and ran his hands over his ears and down his back. His fur was deep ebony and very soft. Stiles grinned and laughed, enjoying how it felt moving through his fingers.

He looked into Derek’s eyes, “you are gorgeous. I mean, fuck, look at you.”

The wolf huffed again and then yipped. Stiles watched as Derek lowered himself into a crouch before growling as if he was trying to be menacing. 

Stiles tried not to laugh as he held his hands up, “Sorry. Sorry. I meant super terrifying. You are so frightening and I am very intimidated.” 

Derek sat up again and Stiles had never realized that wolves could look amused and smug. But, before he could think about it further he blinked and his boyfriend was squatting naked in front of him again. 

Derek stood up, “it doesn’t hurt by the way.”

Stiles just nodded and stood up while Derek went to go pick up his clothes, “can we go to bed now?”

Stiles slipped into bed between the covers and patted the spot beside him, “of course.”

Derek got into bed and slid over into Stiles arms, settling against him so that he could smell Stiles scent and hear his heart beat. He felt Stiles breathing settle and his mind working to catalogue what he had just seen.

Derek stroked his fingers up and down Stiles back, “I’m sorry if you felt that I’ve withheld parts of myself from you. It’s not on purpose… anymore. But, there was a time in my life, a long time, where sharing things about myself wasn’t an option if I wanted to stay alive or stay anonymous. Some habits die hard.”

Stiles leaned in to kiss him, but Derek pulled back after a second, “I just need you to know that you’re the first person since I lost my family that I trust to be myself around. You’re not just pack, Stiles. You’re my mate.”

Derek heard Stiles heart trip over itself and smiled before leaning back in to slant his mouth over Stiles. This time, Stiles was the one that pulled back, “you know that the conversation I want to have regarding your wolf form is far from over?”

Derek nodded and tried to kiss Stiles again, but Stiles resisted, “and you know that we are going to have another talk about this mate bomb you just dropped on me?”

Derek smiled and nodded, “yes, but first… sex?”

Stiles laughed and leaned in to kiss Derek, “yes. Also, I love you.”

Derek responded into between kisses, “I love you too. Also, Merry Christmas.”

Stiles groaned as Derek moved to trailing kisses down his neck, “Merry Christmas indeed.”

You're here where you should be  
Snow is falling as the carolers sing  
It just wasn't the same  
Alone on Christmas day  
Presents, what a beautiful sight  
Don't mean a thing  
if you ain't holding me tight  
You're all that I need  
Underneath the tree  
Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please give kudos and write comments. I love to hear from you and always respond.


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